Founded in 2011, Cultiva has a notable history in the agricultural industry as the first entity to license SureSeal® technology from Oregon State University. Since then, its mission has been to revolutionize agriculture by improving the health of plant and fruit cuticles.
What are some of the key areas that Cultiva focuses on for research and development?
Cultiva’s efforts are primarily in expanding plant cuticle health technology to new crops and geographies, generating data on the marketable yield improvements that healthier plant cuticles and fruits can provide. Additionally, we are investigating how combination with other phospholipid-based products can improve fruit production metrics such as earlier and more consistent coloration.
Can you tell us more about the partnership you have with Oregon State University?
Cultiva is the first entity to hold a global patent on SureSeal® technology, developed by Oregon State University to address cherry cracking. Beyond this original license, there are no other commercial or product agreements in progress.
How does Cultiva approach innovation in the fruit industry and what sets you apart from other companies?
Cultiva's approach to silver and fruit cuticle health is unique in the industry, as it is the first line of defense for plants against environmental stress. Cultiva is committed to continuing to discover advances in fruit production that can be proactively derived from cuticle health care, so we are constantly seeking partnerships that can help us expand the footprint of our technology programs, improving fruit yield and quality, as well as the performance of traditional fungicide and insecticide applications.
What products do you offer for the cherry industry?
Cultiva's portfolio includes Parka®, which is a natural product based on phospholipids and polysaccharides that improves the health of the cuticle of plants and fruits. Parka® applications are clear and residue-free and can also be tank-mixed with most nutritional sprays, fungicides and insecticides. In terms of cherry production, Parka® reduces the incidence of fruit cracking by an average of 50% and increases the plant's tolerance to heat stress, reducing fruit doubling and spurs.
Cultiva is currently launching a new product called Kallur®, a phospholipid-based harvesting adjuvant that helps growers achieve earlier and more uniform color in crops such as cherries, apples, table grapes and citrus. Kallur® is not currently available for sale in Chile.
Could you tell us a little more about Cultiva's commitment to sustainability?
Cultiva’s technology is focused on reducing food loss and making existing crop acres more productive. This is critical for food crop lands and growing conditions that are becoming more extreme due to environmental factors, including higher temperatures and humidity levels never seen before. Millions of pounds of apples, cherries and citrus are lost annually due to cracking, sunburn, fruit doubling and overall yield loss caused by high heat and humidity events. Parka® reduces the incidence rate of these food damage drivers and has the potential to save nearly $350 million annually in food production losses in the Western U.S. alone.
What does it mean for Cultiva to be part of Smartcherry?
At Cultiva, we are very excited about this partnership with Smartcherry, which will allow us to educate cherry-producing communities in Chile and other Spanish-speaking countries about the benefits of improving the health of the plant cuticle and the agronomic value that the use of Parka® can bring. With the leading media presence of the multi-platform, Smartcherry, we look forward to having all the creative tools we can implement in 2024 and beyond.
Thus, its partnership with Smartcherry opens up new opportunities to spread its knowledge in cherry-producing communities in Chile and other Spanish-speaking countries, consolidating its position as a leader in plant cuticle health care.
